Sink Or Swim
by RigorMorton
Summary: (This is actually with Jeremiah. Not Jerome, but Jeremiah is not a character option right now) Just a cute little ficlet where a heart eyed Jeremiah awkwardly flirts with Jimbo, and asks him out on a date.


Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at /works/14509065.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M Fandom: Gotham (TV) Relationship: Jim Gordon/Jeremiah Valeska Character: Jim Gordon, Jeremiah Valeska Additional Tags: Awkward Flirting, Awkward Crush, Shyness, Crushes, Older Man/Younger Man, Cute, Insecurity Stats: Published: 2018-05-02 Words: 1004 Sink Or Swim

by RigorMorton

Summary

Just a cute little ficlet where a heart eyed Jeremiah awkwardly flirts with Jimbo, and asks him out on a date.

Notes

I needed this

See the end of the work for more notes

Jeremiah fidgets in his seat. He can't seem to keep himself still. He's nervous. He tends to get that way around cute boys. Particularly a cute cop who so happens to be giving him a ride home late at night.

His palms are sweaty and he keeps pushing his glasses up like an nineteen eighties movie nerd.

He prays Jim isn't noticing this. Surely, in vain.

He's fighting not to stare at the beautiful older man, but that's a difficult task.

Jim Gordon is gorgeous. A Blonde, blue eyed, dreamboat.

Jeremiah wishes he wasn't so terribly awkward. He's always a nervous wreck and terrible at flirting.

Jim is charming and strong. Assertive. Everything he's not.

He can't even think of a way to make conversation. But he must, because the silence in the car is deafening. Just the whooshing sound of the A/C blowing. He'd almost rather jump out of the moving vehicle and roll down the road like a tumbleweed.

Jeremiah pushes his glasses up for the hundredth time and clears his throat.

"Um….detective Gordon? Would you mind putting on the radio?"

Jim flashes a smile and reaches down to turn the dial.

He can't say no to someone as polite as Jeremiah. Nor did he want to. He finds the silence equally awkward, he just wasn't sure if Jeremiah was the rocking out in the car, type.

"What would you like to listen to?"

Jeremiah gulps. Jim is talking to him. Asking about his interests. Well..sorta.

He chuckles lightly. "You're gonna think I'm such a nerd, but….I really like oldies. "

"Nah. That's not nerdy. That was the golden age of rock n roll. And I love it too." Jim laughs.

"Sure that doesn't just make you a nerd too?" Jeremiah snorts. He's pleased with himself for loosening up a bit and actually flirting, subtle as it might be.

Jim chuckles, turning the dial to the local oldies station. "Maybe. I mean, I like old movies too."

"Oh yeah? Well I like Christmas music." Jeremiah says, smugly.

The two men are officially in a contest to see who's the nerdiest. What a time to be alive.

"I collect stamps."

"I'm an engineer." Jeremiah shrugs.

"Damn." Jim snaps his finger in defeat. "Ok, Farmer Ted. You win."

"I understand that reference." Jeremiah says excitedly. "I bet you thought I was too young to have seen Sixteen Candles."

Jim shakes his head, smiling. "Ya got me."

God the way that lip curls up into a sneer, is adorable.

Jeremiah feels really good about himself, for the first time in a while. It's quite nice.

He had previously found Jim to be intimidating, but he's actually a really nice, laid back guy. Jeremiah likes him even more now. As if that were possible.

His stomach flutters. He's suddenly wishing he lived much farther away. But alas, the car is already pulling into his driveway.

The butterflies in Jeremiah's stomach grow unbearably strong. He's not sure if he'll get to see Jim again after this. Just because his brother's still on the loose, doesn't mean he will be tomorrow.

Once Jerome is apprehended, Jeremiah won't need police protection anymore.

He can risk it, and just say goodnight, like a coward, or he can at least try to ensure he sees the detective again.

Jim parks the car and turns the engine off. "I better walk you in. Just in case." The detective gives a quick look around for anything that seems suspicious.

"Are you sure, you don't want to stay in custody?"

"And stay at the precinct? No thanks." Jeremiah shakes his head. "I don't even need an escort inside. I'll be fine." He smiles politely.

"I must insist."

"No, detective Gordon. Don't get out. I can't live in fear."

"Well, that's admirable. But I'm at least going to watch you walk inside."

"Deal." Jeremiah smiles, sticking his hand out for the detective to shake.

His stomach flutters again when Jim's warm hand touches his. He hopes it's not written all over his face.

He's about to get out, but he pauses, taking a deep breath.

"Um…you said you like old movies…"

Jim nods. "I do."

"Well, I don't know if you know this, but there's a theater that's not too far from here that plays second run movies. Friday they're showing Rebel Without A Cause. I was thinking about going, but going to the movies alone is dreadful." He laughs nervously. "Do you wanna go?" He asks meekly, almost immediately regretting having done so.

Jim gives his lips a lick, pondering for a moment. He's not sure how Jeremiah means it. He's never been asked to go anywhere with a man he wasn't already good friends with. He doesn't know how to act. He just knows he has to act quickly, because just sitting in silence after being asked a question, is unbearably awkward.

"Yes." Jim answers, fake smiling. Not because he doesn't want to go, but because he's confused.

"Great." Jeremiah smiles, pushing up his glasses once more. "It starts at eight."

"Eight. Got it. I'll pick you up at seven thirty, if that's ok."

Jeremiah's screaming internally. Jim just said he'd pick him up. That sounds an awful lot like a date. But he tries not to get his hopes up too much.

"Yeah. Yeah that's perfect. See ya Friday." He waves goodbye and walks away from the car, smiling ear to ear.

Jim sticks around to watch him walk inside, just like he said he would.

Jeremiah shuts the door and puts his back up against it, letting out a sigh of relief.

There's still no guarantee Jim knows it's a date. He should've made it clear, but he didn't have the guts. People from the opposite sex don't have to clarify by using the word date. Why should he.

It's best to just see how it goes.

Jeremiah pushes himself up from his door, suddenly realizing he has to find an outfit. It's only Wednesday, but still.

End Notes

Hope you like this pairing because I'm seriously thinking about writing another chapter for the "date".

Please drop by the archive and comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!


End file.
